Twisting Turning Dance
by Ivan Broddy
Summary: Mello runs away from the orphanage, only to find he's fallen into a rotten world. He has to escape but something is trying to hold him there. Meeting people from his past and future, Mello must escape or be trapped in a dream land forever.
1. Chapter 1

Mello stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him. How dare that ignorant old man suggest that he work with Near. They were rivals, and that's how he planned for it to stay. If he was bringing down Kira, he would do it himself.

He went to his closet and grabbed his jacket pulling over his shoulders. Then he took his bag from the floor and shoved various clothing inside. Mello stomped on the floor as he grabbed some of his belongings off the table he and Matt shared. He paused for a minute, Matt. Would he come with him? Mello shook his head, he had to keep moving. Every second he stood there was another Near was getting ahead of him.

As he pushed various objects into his bag, a pen rolled underneath his bed. Mello sighed and bent down to reach it, but he couldn't quite grab it. He got down on his stomach and reached into the depths of his bed. He groped around blindly for a moment then felt his fingertips reach the edge of something, a hole.

"What the hell?" Mello wondered as he felt around the edge of the gaping hole. Suddenly he felt a hand grab him. He jerked backward but the grip on his wrist remained firm. Mello felt his heartbeat quicken. he panicked and he desperately tried to tug his arm from the cool, clammy grip, the small fingers vice-like on his wrist.

Mello pulled harder, feeling himself being drawn slowly underneath the bed. Mello felt a sweat break out over his body. He scrabbled desperately for a lifeline,for something to hold onto. He grabbed the edge of the bed, the dresser, the floorboards, Mello's breath came in short pants as he felt his arm being drawn in, then his head, his body. Through out the whole time, he never thought to call out for help. It wasn't until he felt himself holding on by one foot he'd hooked around the bedpost, till he decided to call.

"Help!" Mello's voice rang in his own ears and from the hole he heard a small voice.

"Help? Why would I give you help?" Mello felt his foot slip from it's hook on the post as he felt his arm being yanked harder. He growled in anger at the singsong voice that followed. "You need to earn it first."

Mello's foot slipped off and he his stomach slide over the cold floor. For a moment, it felt like he was floating on top of the air, but the illusion was shattered as he felt his stomach fall into his mouth as he fell down.

His mind raced as he fell. He was falling, He was going to die. the average human free falls at a speed of around 114 miles per hour, from 40,000 feet it takes three and a half minutes to fall.

"Where are you?" The childlike voice seemed to wrap around Mello before being sucked upwards.

He was falling. How long had he been falling? He was going to die. Damn it. How did that hole get under his bed? He was going to crash into something.

"I'm waiting." It fell out of the darkness like the first sprinklings of snow. Falling coldly on Mello's ears.

Waiting for what? He was going to be a spat on the floor, crushed to a pulp. He needed some chocolate. How in the hell was he still fa-

Mello felt the wind knocked out of him as he felt the tunnel around him tighten. His stretched arms brushed against cold rocky walls and he knew the bottom of the hole was approaching. He strained his eyes in the blackness, and he saw a faint light coming closer.

"Play with me."

He watched for another moment, the light raced towards him burning brighter and brighter. Mello closed his eyes.

* * *

Mello woke up to find himself lying on the ground. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his hand over his face. His head felt like it was smashed with a hammer, and the brains drained out with a straw. Mello opened his eyes to see the eyes of a boy staring into his.

"Woah!" Mello leaned backwards, away from the wide eyes of the young boy."Who the hell are you?"

"I'm L" Mello moved back and looked the boy over. Large jacket, baggy jeans, ruffled hair, the face of an insomniac, and deep black eyes. That was what L looked like? No way in hell.

"L, What sort of name is that?" Mello stood up and looked down at L.

"Mine." Mello frowned and snatched the candle from the boy's grip.

"Okay then, what are you doing here?" He held up the candle and looked around the room. It was a rocky tunnel shaft that lead up farther that he could see. He wasn't getting out the same way he got in. He looked down at L to see he was reaching towards the candle, his small face illuminated in the glow of the candlelight. "You can have it back when you tell me."

"I'm looking for my parents." Mello handed the candle back and watched as the boy crouched back down, staring intently into the light. "Will you help me?"

Mello sighed."Sure kid. Where's the exit."

"There." L pointed a small hand in the direction of a ornate wooden door, carved in pictures of leaves and plants. In the middle was a crudely carved smiley face, covering the picture of a child's face.

Mello walked towards the door and opened it cautiously. "Hello?" Mello called down the tunnel. "Anyone there?" His voice echoed back hollowly and Mello jerked back in surprise when he saw L walk calmly into the dark tunnel.

"What the hell are you doing? It could be dangerous!" Mello walked after slowly, not wanting to leave the warm light of the candle.

"This is the way I have to go." L walked back and took Mello's hand. Together, they walked into the darkness.

Mello shivered,and held the child's hand tighter when he felt breath whisper on the back of his neck,

"Husha, husha, we all fall down."

* * *

Author's Note?- So...how was it? I thought it was okay.

I dedicate this chapter to Ivory Goddess of Ebony Heart.


	2. Chapter 2

Mello ran his hands over the rough walls of the tunnel. The stone felt cool under his fingers and he felt a chill. Mello crossed his arms, wishing he hadn't lost his jacket in the fall.

"Hey, we there yet?" Mello moved his legs faster, he looked at L. That kid could move fast!

"No, be patient." L continued to walk on unperturbed by the darkness ahead. He held his candle in front of him and continued walking, his bare feet padding softly on the cold stone.

"Hey kid, you don't tell me to be patient. I'm older than you, so show some respect." Mello pouted and looked back at the darkness they had left behind.

Suddenly, he looked behind and thought he saw eyes. Red eyes staring out from the darkness, straight at him. "Hey L, what sort of people live here?"

"There is me. There is my parents. I don't know anyone else." L's young voice was strangely robotics as he said those words

"That's screw up. I don't even have parents, and I know some people." Mello smiled triumphantly. He knew more, and he was older. Take that L imitator.

"We're here." L stopped abruptly, turning to the right wall.

"What's here, it's just a wall." Mello walked to the door and knocked on it suspiciously.  
The knock echoed around the tunnel and Mello was turning to L to tell him off when he heard a voice.

"Who are you?"

"L and Mello."

The child stared into the rocky wall, and Mello turned back to look as well. When he looked closely there was a portion of the wall that was shaped like the face of an old man. Mello jumped back when he saw it open it's eyes and talk to them.

"What do you want?" The face had a deep voice, old and aged like high mountain crags.

L bowed respectively "We're looking for my parents."

"Your parents?" He drew out the word, as if he had never heard of it.

"What the hell are you!" Mello pointed at the face in the wall. "You're not really a face in a wall. You're computer generated, or a puppet!"

"I'm not going to let you through." The face yawned loudly and looked at Mello accusingly.

"Why the hell not?" Mello moved so he was nose to nose with the wall. L sat down against the opposite wall, putting his candle down carefully next to him.

"I don't like your attitude." The wall stared back even harder. Mello inwardly fumed. A wall, he was supposed to say sorry to a wall? He wouldn't do it. Mello continued staring, but felt his stomach rumble. He had to keep moving and find food. He sighed.

"Fine. I'm sorry." Mello back up a step.

"For what." The face seemed to smile at Mello.

"For being rude and second guessing your actually being a wall." Mello looked over to the side, not meeting the wall's gaze.

"Thank you." The wall swung open and Mello had to close his eyes from the glare of the sun.

L got up, and after picking up his candle, he moved to walk into the light. Mello followed, and was blinded by the sun. Once his eyes adjusted he looked around.

The were standing in a grove of trees. The trees were base and blackened, mere sticks poking from the ground. The ground was rocky and brown with bright red mushrooms nestling in the basses of some of the trees. The sky was grey and cloudy, like the sky was about to open and let loose the rain. Mello couldn't see any animals or green plant life, all was dead.

Mello's bare feel crunched down on the rocks and he realised, they weren't rocks. They were clumps of ash sitting on the earth. Mello and L wandered through the eerily silent grove until they reached a sign.

It was a burn't sign and all that Mello could read of it was "Choose."

"It's a hard choice, isn't it." Mello looked around to see a crane walk from behind a tree. It stepped delicately from behind the tree, deliberately stepping on the path that was clear of ash. It's red head bobbed gently as it's long legs carried it to them.

"Who are you?"

"My name is..." The crane paused for a moment. "Kira." It turned it's head and smiled at them. "And who are you?" It turned to L and lowered it's head so they were looking each other in the eye.

"My name is L." The little buy straightened so that he was slightly taller. They remained like that for a minute, staring at each other, sizing each other up? Mello walked over, tapping the crane on the wing.

"My name's Mello, you know where to find this kid's parents?" Mello jerked his thumb towards L. Kira looked confused for a moment.

"You lost your parents? How terrible, let me help you find them. Where did they live?" Kira looked down in concern.

"We lived by the crossroads, in a red brick house. Next door was a stream and you can see the mountain from there." L looked at the crane, peering at him carefully.

"I have no idea where that is?" The crane dipped it's head smoothly. "Could you show me?"

"That's where I'm going too." Mello started walking again. "So come on L, lets get a move on."

* * *

Author's Note- Yay! Second chapter is up. I actually got a review for my first chapter and so I was very happy. I'll try updating once a week, my goal for this is to be done, by at the most, by December. ^.^v


	3. Chapter 3

"You're L? That's an interesting name." The crane lowered his head as he walked along side L. The young boy ignored the comment and kept walking quickly. Mello trailed slightly behind, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"L, Are you listening to me? It's not nice to ignore people. Come on, talk to me or I'll blow out your candle." A sneer came into Kira's voice and L walked slightly faster, cupping the flame with his hands.

"Don't." L spoke up small voice echoing faintly in the silence. Mello piked up his head at the sign of disturbance.

"Hey crane, don't bug the kid." Mello moved forwards till be was walking in between the two. L moved closer to him, as if his body could protect the flame.

"My name is Kira." He lifted his head high so he looked down on Mello. "I am a bird who commands fire and wind. You have no right to talk to me like that." Kira unfurled his wings as far as he could and Mello moved back slightly.

"Okay okay, you made your point. If you're so powerful you should at least be nice to the small guys. " He rolled his eyes and put his hands over his stomach as it growled loudly.

"Is there anywhere we can eat?" Mello looked around anxiously and spotted a grove of apples across a nearby bridge. "Hey, that looks good."

"There's someone there." L walked forward, but stopped suddenly. Mello walked up. "Hey L, what's wrong?"

"He's carrying a gun." Kira hissed as he saw the gun, slung casually over the man's shoulder. "He's an evil man."

Mello looked closer at the man, he was wearing casual clothes, leaning on the low walls of the bridge with his eyes closed. Mello watched as the crane stalked forward slowly and carefully. He got in front of the man and leaned so their faces were almost touching. Mello looked to L in confusion, only to see that he was running towards Kira in panic.

L reached Kira too late. The crane snapped open it's wings sending a gust of air directly at the man. He opened his eyes wide as his clothes were blown back and he tipped over the edge.  
Mello started forward, running towards the lake in time to see the man disappear under the dark waters. Mello marched up to Kira angrily.

"What was that for!" L moved to Mello's side, grabbing his hand.

"He was evil." Kira preened his feathers in a disinteressted air.

"For carrying a gun? He deserved to die for that? Nobody deserves to die with out a chance to speak for themselves." Mello turned his back on the crane and crossed the bridge, closing his eyes where the man had stood moments before. He felt a breeze ruffle the hair on the back of his neck.

"It's not the same here. I want to go back with you."

Mello looked around but saw nothing but the bleak landscape. He looked at the water, probably wasn't safe to drink, not after that man just fell in. He felt L let go of his hand and saw him rush towards the apple trees.

* * *

Author's Note- I've decided on faster but shorter updates. If anyone has objections tell me in the comments. See you soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Mello walked over and stepped back in disgust. The ground was covered in mushy rotton apples. It squished between his toes, smelling of decay. Mello held his breath and moved forward to grab an apple off the tree.

He held it in his hands, the smooth red skin cool beneath his hands. Mello brought it to his lips and bit into it. Mello smiled as he devoured the apple. It was sweet and juicy, stark contrast to the land it was growing in.

Mello took several apples and started putting them in his pockets when he heard a raspy voice.

"Those are mine, give them back." Mello looked up as a snake dropped his head from a tree he was wrapped around. It's body was a deep molted purple and it's eyes were a starting red and yellow.

"No, I picked them." Mello retorted. "Finder's keepers." He resumed putting the apples in his pockets.

The snake dropped onto Mello's shoulder and started wrapping around Mello's neck. "I said give them back." It said in it's rasping voice. Mello tried to pull the snake off, but he wasn't strong enough. He gasped as he pulled the apples out of his pocket, handing them to the snake.

"Much better." The snake rasped as it gathered the apples in it's tail. It slid over Mello's shoulder onto the back of Kira. Mello rubbed his neck and glared at the snake.

"I'm sorry Ryuk, was Mello here giving you trouble?" Kira said teasingly, staring pointedly at Mell."

"Hyuk Hyuk Hyuk, he has an attitude." The snake wrapped himself loosely around the crane's neck.

"You guys know each other?" Mello took another apple and bit into it loudly.

"No, never met." Kira looked at Mello then back at Ryuk. "This is the first time I've ever seen him."

"Hyuk Hyuk Hyuk."

Mello sighed and stepped through the rotten goo to the path. "L!" He called out to the boy, stuffing apples into his mouth. "We've got to keep moving."

Mello wiped his feet on the dirt road as he walked beside the crane, the snake, and the boy. It that wasn't strange he didn't know what was. The thing that bothered him was, how would he leave after he found L's parents?

"So, how far is it till we find your parents?" Mello bit down on an apple, crunching loudly.

"Hey kid, who's your parents?" Ryuk grinned, sharp fangs exposed.

"We live by the hanging tree." L barred his teeth back at Ryuk

"You're the hangman's kid? Hyuk hyuk hyuk." Ryuk started laughing and entwined his neck around Kira's.

"Your parents are hangmen?" Mello raised an eyebrow and looked at the kid again. That would explain the deathly pallor he had.

L frowned. "They aren't hangmen. They hang people, but they are the local judges."

Kira fixed L with a cold stare. "They kill people."

"Yes." L didn't try and deny the fact, which Mello found confusing. If it had been him, he would of punched the bird ages ago.

"Only a god can pass judgement."

"Then why did you kill that man earlier?"


End file.
